It is well known to those skilled in the art that the most accurate way to install tension into fasteners in a joint is to control tightening by developing an indication of the tension in the fastener either directly from the fastener or another component with the fastener. Fastener installation based on torque control can result in wide variations in the tension in the fastener because of variations in fastener lubricity, burrs on the thread of threaded fasteners, and variations in the friction at the surface of the joint component against which the bearing surface of a threaded fastener bears.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,187,621 is directed to a pre-load indicating washer adapted for use with a threaded fastener and intended to develop an indication of proper tensioning of the fastener. This pre-load indicating washer has a plurality of protuberances which are struck and partially sheared from an annular body to leave indentations in the annular body. With this pre-load indicating washer in a joint, the protuberances are pushed back into the indentations in the annular body as the joint is tightened and tightening is stopped when the protuberances have been "collapsed" back into the indentations in the annular body a prescribed amount. This condition, typically, is sensed by a "feeler" gage inserted into a gap in the joint. A shortcoming of the particular pre-load indicating washer disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,187,621 will be considered hereinafter in connection with FIG. 1.